Once the home of a steel industry and little else, Pittsburgh was all but written off in the 1970s and 1980s as that industry collapsed. However, the city's focus on technological and biotech innovation, combined with an environment that encourages entrepreneurship, has turned its fortunes full circle.

Wisconsin governor Scott Walker explains how his election publicity is helping him draw the attention of businesses to his state and how he plans to take advantage of Wisconsin's strong agriculture sector by increasing productivity through biotech projects.

Poland's minister of economy discusses with Michal Kaczmarski how the country's slowing growth is a 'problem' many of its European neighbours would like to have.

Stockholm's relatively small size seems to have worked in its favour when it comes to the city's ambitions to be considered one of Europe's creative hubs. The effect of its creative professionals working in such close proximity has seen the Swedish capital produce an output that is more than the sum of its parts.

With vast expanses of fertile land, a large labour force and a close proximity to raw materials, Ukraine's argiculture sector has enormous promise, and with global food shortages and price spikes, the time appears ripe for it to realise this potential. But first it must attract investors, and to do that it must reform its land policies.  

Opinion is divided as to whether the unparalleled increase in outward Canadian FDI in 2011 was down to the country's strong economy or a dearth of domestic growth opportunities. Either way, it has propelled many Canadian companies – both large and small – into new territories.